Cleansing composition



Patented Feb. 6, 1934 PATENT OFFICE 1,946,272 CLEANSING COMPOSITION Roy H. Brownlee, Pittsburgh, Pa.

No Drawing. Application August 19, 1931 Serial No. 558,099

1 Claim.

1This invention relates to a cleansing composit on.

It is well known that the alkalinity of soap injures fine fabrics, and is in the course of time injurious to the texture of the human skin. It is less well known that soap, because of its alkalinity, has a positively harmful effect on the hair of the human head. This last-named effect is because of the fact that it deprives the hair of its sulphur content, thus creating a tendency for it to become dry and brittle.

Many soaps and cleansing agents, which in their own structure are wholly neutral, produce an alkaline solution by hydrolysis when they are dissolved in water.

The object of the invention is to provide an efficient agent which is of itself approximately neutral or even slightly acid, and which produces an approximately neutral or even slightly acid reaction when it is dissolved in water.

Further, and corollary, objects of my invention are to provide a cleansing agent, having the above noted advantages which is in particular desirable for use as a shampoo, because it readily produces profuse suds which may be readily removed from the human hair without repeated rinsing.

Primarily, my invention consists in combining a cleansing salt, which is approximately neutral or even slightly acid in solution, with a neutral or slightly acid-carrying, or suds-producing, vehicle. It is further necessary in selecting a salt for my purpose, that it be highly soluble at room temperatures, or temperatures not higher than room temperature to the extent that they will work injury to the normal human skin.

I have found by practice that highly desirable salts are alkali metal salts, such as the phosphates and sulphates of alkali metals which are highly soluble in water, and which do not hydrolyze in solution to give an alkaline reaction. As examples, I have found that the following salts are thoroughly satisfactory: secondary sodium'phosphate [NazH PO4:12I-I2O]; primary sodium phosphate [NaHzPOuI-IzO]; secondary potassium phosphate [KsH PO41; primary potassium phosphate [KH2PO4]; secondary ammonium phosphate [(NH4) 2111 04]; sodium thiosulphate [Na2SzO3t5I-I20]; potassium t hi 0 s u l p h a t e [K2S2O3I5H2O] and ammonium thiosulphate [(NH4) 28203] Various other alkali metal salts posses the necessary solubility and cleansing properties, but are not equally advantageous for the reason that they have, or produce, an alkaline reaction in 55 water solution.

Of all the alkali metal salts which are usuable and desirable, I prefer the secondary sodium phosphate and primary sodium phosphate. This is for the reason that they combine high solubility with cheapness and availability.

While the salt alone possesses marked cleans-- ing properties, it is necessary, in order that it be rendered suitable for use as a shampoo and as a cleanser for fine fabrics, that it be associated with a suitable film-forming vehicle or carrier. Such a vehicle is found among the sulphonated vegetable oils. While various sulphonated oils may in all probability possess desirable properties, many with which I am familiar are undesirable because they lack the necessary high solubility, because of their objectionable odor, or for various other reasons. I have found by practice that sulphonated coconut oil and sulphonated deodorized castor oil are wholly satisfactory.

As a typical formula of my cleansing composition, I may give the following:

Secondary sodium phosphate 16oz. solid measure sulphonated coconut oil 2 oz. solid measure Saponin 2 grams According to my preferred mode of preparation, I first make the secondary sodium phosphate fluid by subjecting it to an approximate temperature of about 100 degrees centigrade. To the fused secondary sodium phosphate I add the other ingredient or ingredients, either in their 35 natural state or dissolved in a minimum quantity of hot water. The mixture is then thoroughly stirred while cooling, toprevent separation of the ingredients. After careful commingling of the ingredients, the mixture is cooledand crystallized. As so made up, the cleansing composition is in suitable condition to pack and sell.

The method of use of my composition comprises initially the dissolution of the crystallized mixture in water. While the relative proportions ofcrys- 95 tallized composition and water may vary within reasonable limits, I have found suitable a solution of one ounce (solid measure) of composition to one-half pint of water. The water to which the composition is added may be at, or only slightly above, room temperature.

After the solution has been formed it is further prepared. for use by being violently beaten or whipped. This violent beating or whipping of the dissolved mixture results in the formation of a relatively great mass of intermingled film or suds. This mass of film is produced primarily from the sulphonated oil, and carries the dissolved cleansing salt. In use a mass of the suds may be gathered in. the hands and worked into the scalp in the'same manner that a soap lather is applied. In its proximate use, also, as distinguished from its ultimate efiects, the suds of the cleansing composition differ in a marked manner from soap suds. This marked difierence is in the fact that they do not tend to adhere to the hair in the form of a greasy or oily coating, but may be washed from the hair by a single rinsing of short duration without leaving any deposit Whatever.

As to the ultimate efiect of the cleansing composition, since both the sulphonated oil and the cleansing salt are non-alkaline, the composition does not remove from the hair, sulphur, or the finer gloss of the hair itself. v

As to other uses of the composition, its properties render it suitable for washing the finest laces, cleansing tinted walls and mural decorations, and even for the cleansing of oilpaintings.

It will be noted that throughout the preceding portion of the specification but little mention has been made of the saponin, which is included in a small quantity in the formula. That is for the reason that its inclusion in the composition is not necessary to the composition. When present in a small quantity, it does, however, serve to make the carrying suds or film more stable, thus improving the vehicle for the specifically detergent salts. Iti is itself cally.

substantially ,neutral chemi- It should be understood that a mixture of the solution, and a Water soluble salts or oils disclosed as suitable for my purpose may, if desired, be used. As a specific example, it is possible to use in the composition a mixture of secondary sodium phosphate and potassium thiosulphate as a detergent salt, and a mixture of sulphonated coconut oil with sulphonated and deodorized castor oil as the film-forming vehicle. Thus, throughout the claims a mixture of salts coming within the disclosure of the specification is to be considered the full equivalent of one of the salts, and similarly in the case of the specified oils.

7 I claim as my invention: A non-alkaline cleansing composition suitable for use as a shampoo and as a cleanser for fine fabrics because of its non-alkalinity in water solution, comprising as its chief active cleansing agent a water soluble salt of phosphoric acid of the class of primary sodium phosphate and disodium phosphate characterized by water solubility and .by its lack of marked alkalinity in water non-drying oil of the class of sulphonated coconut oil and sulphonated castor oil as a substance producing carrying suds for the active cleansing salt solution, said sulphonated oil being present in a quantity not materially greater than sufiicient to neutralize the relatively slight alkalinity of the salt in water solution.

ROY H. BROWNLEE. 

